Union Government's Department of Science and Technology (DST) is supporting India's first 'A Science Initiative in Ayurveda' (ASIIA) project involving leading CSIR institutes and research centres in the country. The DST has sanctioned Rs. 50 crore to take up different basic Research Projects on Ayurveda. Dr S Chatterjee, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, will head the monitoring cell for ASIIA project.
'A Science Initiative in Ayurveda' is expected play a major role in the integration of Indian System of Medicine for long-term health-promotive and disease-preventive management. The brain behind the project is Prof. M S Valiathan, distinguished surgeon and renowned medical scientist who was the former vice chancellor MAHE, Manipal and was also instrumental in developing the Sri Chitra Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology at Thiruvananthapuram.

The focus of the 'A Science Initiative in Ayurveda' project is to highlight the basic principles in Ayurveda. After two years of intensive discussion, five major areas of Ayurveda have been identified. These are Panchakrama, Dosha Prakruti, Dosha pre-dominance in plants, metallic preparations and Rasayana, informed sources.

Around 900 people are identified for the study to assess the genotype and phenotype characteristics in human genes. The study involves leading institutions like the Foundation of Revitalization of Local Health Tradition (FRLHT), Bangalore led by Dr G G Gangadharan, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) department of Molecular Biology led by Dr Paturu Kondaiah, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) led by Prof Thangaraj, SDM Ayurveda College Udupi and Singhad College of Engineering, Pune, Department of Biotechnology headed by Dr Kalpana Joshi and Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE). Dr K Satyamoorthy, senior scientist, Centre for Molecular & Cellular Biology, MAHE will be coordinator of the project.

In Ayurveda, three doshas namely Vata, Pitha and Kapha are represented in the human body in different forms. Each dosha is formed by the combination of basic five elements, earth, fire, water, air and ether. Vata is a combination of ether (space) and air, Pitta is formed by combination of fire and water and Kapha is a combination of water and earth. The doshas govern different functions and different attributes in an individual's body, explained Dr GG Gangadharan, joint director (TSM), FRLHT.

"The project intends to understand the relationship of each dosha prakruthi to genotypes and phenotypes," he added.

Patients are recruited at three centres at Pune, Bangalore and Udupi where around 20 ml blood samples are drawn. The samples will be analyzed by the teams at IISc, CCMB and MAHE.

The outcome of the project is to understand Ayurveda from its basic foundation by which it can make original contribution to frontiers of medicines, stated Dr Gangadharan.